Description:A passionate defender of the environment, Vice President Al Gore described in this now classic best-selling book how the engines of human civilization have brought us to the brink of catastrophe, threatening the destruction of nature and ultimately ourselves. Its groundbreaking analysis placed the environment on the national agenda, prompting politicians, the media, and the public to reckon with a looming disaster. The message remains just as urgent today as it did eight years ago; while much has been accomplished, we are still facing a crisis that reaches into every aspect of society. In brave and unforgettable terms, 'Earth in the Balance' probes the roots of the environmental crisis and offers a bold and forceful vision of a new, more sustainable path. Having provoked international discussion on its original publication, it continues to confront us with profound challenges. Human civilization must heal itself, psychologically and spiritually, if we are to heal our ailing environment and save the earth's ecology for future generations.